The Way It Should Be

That showed extremely poor sportsmanship and I have printed this article out and mailed it to the opposing coach so that he can hopefully learn what true sportsmanship really is. By the way, we ended up losing the game by 2 runs.

KEVIN HUNT, PAMPA, TEXAS

As it turns out, the rules have no bearing on this story. What matters is the perception of the rules. One way or another Mallory has been given to understand that Sara is about to lose her home run. That would mean her injury is to Central Washington's advantage. In the Wildcats' fight to avoid elimination and Mallory's quest to prolong her career, they would have one less run to make up.

But Mallory just wants Sara off the field, getting ice on her knee, and she wants to get on with the game. She does not confer with her teammates or her coach. She knows what to do. She has a brother and father who will let nothing harm her. She has a mother and sister who affirm her without condition. She has spent more than four years learning from a coach who would rather lose in the mud than win by a rainout. She has spent nearly 23 years getting permission for what she does next. "Hey," she says to the umpires, "can I help her out?"

"What?" Wagner says.

"Can I help her around the bases?"

"Why would you want to do that?"

Wagner scans his database for rules against this proposal. No, he decides, it's not obstruction, because the fielder isn't getting in the runner's way. It's not interference, because the runner isn't getting in the fielder's way. Well, if she wants to let the other team score an extra run, then I'm going to let her.

He consults with McChesney, who says, "It's Senior Day. It's their field. If they want to do it, who am I to stop it?"

Wagner turns back to Mallory.